Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. E. PRINK.

MBGHANIOAL MOVEMENT.

Patented May 16,1893.

2 e e h Sv s t e e h S 2 K N I R D E G a d 0 M 0 m MEGHANIGAL MOVEMENT.

No. 497,316. Patented May'16, 1893.

- nected mechanism.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. FRINK, OF PAWTUOKET, RHODE IS LAND ASSIGNOR TO THE E. JENOKES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

H MECHANICALMOVEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent l.\T0. 497,316, dated May 16, 1893.

. Application filed March 9, 1892.

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. FRINK, of.

Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain.

new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Movements; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relates to means for automatically changing the movement of a shaft from a rotary to an oscillating or reciprocating movement and vice versa, and more particularly to means for automatically disengaging a shifting clutch-member from one of two pinions and engaging it with the other, while both of said pinions are in motion, but at different rates of speed.

In another application of even date 'here with,Serial No.424.,342, I have shown and described means for accomplishing this result.

The object of the present invention-is to simplify the mechanism, and to that end the invention consists in a reorganization of the same and in the combinations and arrange-' ments of parts hereinafter described.

Referring to thedrawings, Figure l is atop or plan View of the mechanism to be described. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a top view upon an enlarged scale of the clutch mechanism and the gears to be engaged thereby. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionon the line 00, 00, of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a likecentral longitudinal section of a portion of the same, showing the shifting clutch-member in a different position; and Fig. 7 is also a central longitudinal section of a portion of the same but in a different plane from Figs. 5 and 6, and showing the pattern chain in position in the groove of the shifting clutch-member.

A is a suitable frame for supporting the different parts. Mounted in said frame is a shaft a, carrying the gear-wheel B, which said gear-wheel is the driving gear of the con- This gear wheel B engages a pinion B mounted loosely on the shaft 1) likewise supported in the frame A. Said gear wheelB is provided with a crank- $erial No. 424,343. (No model.)

B is revolved the pinion B will be continuously rotated, while the pinion B will be oscillated or reciprocated first in one direction and then in the other. The pinion B is shown of smaller diameter than the pinion'B', and being driven by the crank 0 will be moved at a slower rate of speed than said pinion B.

Connected to the shaft b by a groove and spline connection 19, and arranged between the pinions B, B is a shifting-clutch member 0 provided with the usual groove 0 This mov: able clutch-member C is provided upon each side with a spring-pressed pin 01, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and each of the pinions B, B is provided upon its inner face with a hole or recess 01'. adapted to be engaged by one of the said spring-pressed pins 01. Sprocket wheels D, D, aremounted in the frameAfor supporting a pattern chain E carrying lugs or lateral projections e. Only a portion of this pattern chain is shown in the drawings, but it will be understood that this pattern chain is an endless chain to be carried around other suitable sprocket wheels or guide pulleys suitably located and mounted upon the frame-or brackets projecting'therefrom. The

sprocket wheel D is an idler, being loosely mounted upon its shaft, and having also a certain amount of lateral play thereon. The sprocket wheel D is connected to its shaft f by a groove and spline connection p to which shaft is also secured a ratchet wheel F by means of which motion is imparted to the sprocket wheel D to feed the pattern chain. Upon the face of the driving wheel B is a cam-groove g, as shown in Fig. 2. Engaging with this cam-groove g is a roller or stud projecting from the lever h, which said lever is pivoted to the/frame at h, and to the. opposite end of said lever h is pivoted a pawl h for engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel F and operating said ratchet wheel. A spring in the drawings. The pinions B, B are each extended radially upon the side adjoining the shifting clutch-member, as shown in Fig. 5. Upon the periphery of this extension of each of said pinions is secured a cam 76, said cams extending somewhat over the clutch member 0 and into the path of the lugs e which project laterally from the pattern chain, all as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The operation of the parts above described is as follows: It being understood that when the clutch-member O is in engagement with the pinion B the shaft 1) will be continuousl y rotated, and that when said clutch-member is engaged with the pinion B said shaftb will be oscillated or reciprocated back and forth,let it be assumed that said clutch-memher is in engagement with the pinion B, as shown in Fig. 1, and the mechanism in operation with the shaft 1) in rotation. At each revolution of the gear-wheel or driving-wheel B,the pattern chainEwill,bymeansofthecamgroove C, the lever h, the pawl 7L2, the ratchet wheel F and the sprocket Wheel D, be fed along one link, until the pattern chain has been fed along so as to bring the lug e into the position shown in Fig. 3, when the next feed of said pattern-chain will bring the lug 6 into a position where it will be struck by the cam on the face of the pinion B as the latter revolves, and the revolution of said pinion will cause the cam 7t to force the lug e and the pattern chain, and consequently the clutchmember O, in a direction to disengage said clutch-member from the pinion B and to engage the other pinion'B This movement of the pattern chain and the clutch-member is facilitated by the ability of the sprocket wheels D, D to slide upon their shafts. The parts are so arranged that the hole (1' in the pinion B will not be at the proper position to be engaged by the projecting pin (1 upon the clutch-member C at the instant, but the spring behind said pin will yield as the end of said pin comes in contact with the face of the pinion B thereby enabling said clutch-member to be moved close up to the face of said pinion and thus become disengaged from the pinion B the spring-pressed pin being forced into and housed within the body of-the clutchmember, as shown in Fig. 6. \Vhen now in the movement of the pinion B under the action of its rack-bar, the hole (1 in the face of said pinion is brought into the proper position, the pin (Z will be shot by its spring so as to quickly and firmly engage said pinion and thus connect the movable clutch member therewith. The shaft 1) will then partake of the motion of the pinion B and be oscillated back and forth until the next luge on the opposite side of the pattern chain E is brought by the feed of said pattern chain to a position where it will be actuated by the cam 7t on the face of the pinion B to move the pattern chain and the clutch-member C in the opposite direction, 2'. e., in a direction to disengage the clutchmember 0 from the pinion B and to engage said clutch-member with the pinion B, which said pinion B will be engaged with the clutchmember 0 as soon as the hole (1 in the face of said pinion is brought to a position where it can be engaged by the appropriate springpressed pin 01. lrVhen this engagement has taken place the shaft 1) will be again continuously rotated under the action of the pinion 13 until another lug on the pattern chain operates to again shift the clutch-member. Any desired number of lugs c on the pattern chain may of course be employed, and by properly locating and arranging said lugs the times for shifting the clutch-member may be varied and regulated as desired.

It will be observed that with the combination and arrangement of parts above described the clutch member is shifted directlyby the pattern chain under the action of lugs thereon which are engaged by cams on the pinions which operate said clutch-member, said pattern chain running directly in the groove of said clutch-member. This combination and mode of operation constitutes a characteristic feature of the present invention.

The mechanism above described may be used for various purposes, and will be found particularly useful in connection with that class of knitting machines which knit first around and around, as in knitting the foot and leg of a stocking, and then backward and forward, as in knitting the heeland too.

I do not claim broadly in the present application the combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, means for actuating said pinions at different rates of speed, a movable clutch-member connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but sons to be capable of sliding thereon, said clutch-member being constructed to engage one or the other of said pinions while both arein motion, but at different rates of speed, and means for automatically shifting said clutch-member. Neither do I claim broadly in the present application the combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, means for actuating said pinions at dilferent rates of speed, a movable clutch-member connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and provided with spring-pressed pins adapted to engage corresponding recesses in said pinions, and means for shifting said movable clutchmember, whereby said clutch-member may be disengaged from one of said pinions and engaged with the other while both pinions are in motion, but at different rates of speed. Nor do I claim broadly in the present application the combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, oneof said pinions having a continuous rotation, and the other of said pinions having an oscillating or forward and back movement imparted thereto, means for actuating said pinions at different rates of speed, a movable clutch-member connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and constructed to engage one or the other of said pinions, and means for automatically shifting said movable clutch-member, where-' by said shaft will be caused to rotate continuously or be oscillated back and forth according as said movable clutch-member is'in engagement with one or the other of said pinions, the combinations above referred to beingmadethe subjects of claims in the application of even date hereinbefore referred to, the same being Serial N 0. 424,342.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, a movable clutchmernber connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, said clutch-member being constructed to engage one or the other of said pinions, a pattern chain running in the groove of said clutch-member, means for feeding said pattern chain, and means for giving to said pattern chain a lateral movement to shift said clutch-member, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, each of said pinions being provided with a cam, a movable clutchmember connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, said clutch member being constructed to engage one or the other of said pinion s, a pattern-chain running in the groove of said clutch and provided with projecting lugs to be engaged by the cams on said pinions, and means for feeding said patternchain, whereby said clutch-member will be shifted directly by said pattern-chain, substantially as described. A

3. The combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, each of said pinions being provided with a cam, a movable clutchmember connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and provided with springpressed pins adapted to engage corresponding recesses in said pinions, a pattern-chain running in the groove of said clutch-member and provided with projecting lugs to be engaged by the cams on said pinions, and means for feeding said pattern-chain, whereby said clutch-member may be disengaged from one of said pinions and engaged with the other when both are in motion, and at difierent rates of speed, substantially as described. I

4.- The combination of a shaft, two pinions loosely mounted thereon, each of said pinions being provided with a cam, a driving wheel.

or tooth gear engaging directly with one of said pinions to revolve the same, and also operating a rack-bar for oscillating the other of said pinions, a movable clutch-member connected to said shaft so as to be revolved therewith, but so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and constructed to engage one or the other of said pinions, a pattern chain running in the groove of said clutch and provided with projecting lugs to be engagedby the cams on said pinions, and means operated by said driving wheel, for feeding said-pattern chain, substantially as described.

GEORGE E. FRIN K.

Witnesses:

' W. H. THURSTON,

S; J. MURPHY. 

